Twitter-iffic Stuff!

I don't mean to keep honking the Twitter horn, but if you aren't on Twitter, you're missing out! So many interesting people, articles, and chats! I was following #askagent chat last night, because Elizabeth Law of Egmont Press (who was at our April SCBWI conference in Redmond) was chiming in.

Here's a question from a writer during the chat, "If the novel you want to sell has a lot of competition in the market, how would you make it stand out in submitting to editors?"

Elizabeth's answer, "That's easy. Want your manuscript to stand out in competitive market? Write a great book. I'm not kidding!"

Another Twitter find is this article, entitled "When Books Could Change Your Life. Why What We Pore Over At 12 May Be The Most Important Reading We Ever Do." .

Good stuff! You can find the SCBWI Western Washington here.

Elizabeth Law wants a big, juicy tomato

Reported by Martha Brockenbrough

She promised us a talk titled “more cowbell, less vampires,” and Elizabeth Law—Vice President and Publisher of Egmont USA—delivered. Never mind that there was no audio in the room and she had to do the Christopher Walken bits herself.

We got some insight about what she’s looking for in submissions, and she gave us the analogy of a “big tomato”: something juicy, specific, and personally identifiable. She's not looking for a formula or to fill a slot on her list. Rather, she's looking for something she recognizes and likes.

Elizabeth learned this the hard way by publishing something she didn’t like but thought would make a lot of money. She’ll never do that again, she says.

There are a number of questions she has to answer every time she buys a book. Here are a few:
• Who is the audience?
• Where will it sell?
• What is it like and how have those books sold (she doesn't love this part)
We should know what the selling points are for our own books. "Tragically, 'this book is really great' does not work."

But it can once a book is published, and this is her strategy for helping a good book do well.

“You get behind it and bang the drum for it,” she says. “WHEN YOU REACH ME was not an easy book to sell into bookstores. It just kept on selling, and then Rebecca Stead went on NPR, and it sold 40,000 copies in a month.”

Note to any NPR producers who happen to be reading: Elizabeth says she’d sleep with one to be able to sell that many books.

Elizabeth Law (@egmontgal) talks more cowbell and less vampire #scbwiwwa

We're having some technical difficulties in Salon 1. In short, we have no audio. So Elizabeth Law is acting out this SNL skit on cowbell. I'm now a fan of having no audio, because it leads to performance art by Elizabeth. Outstanding!

(And now, she just gave the A/V guy a cowbell. Zing!)



Elizabeth's twitter name is @egmontgal. Do yourself a favor and follow her there.

All an editor is looking for is the big tomato: juicy, specific, and one that she identifies with when she's reading. She's not looking for a formula or to fill a slot on her list. She's looking for something she recognizes and likes.

Her regrets are publishing things she didn't like but thought would make a lot of money. She won't do that again.

The way to build a hit is to find a good book that you really like and get behind it and bang the drum for it. WHEN YOU REACH ME was not an easy book to sell into bookstores. It just kept on selling, and then Rebecca Stead went on NPR and it sold 40,000 copies in a month.

Elizabeth disclosed she'd sleep with someone at NPR to sell that many books, which is a beautiful show of dedication, isn't it?

Egmont USA is a tiny company, just eight people.

There are a number of questions she has to answer every time she buys a book. Here are a few:

• Who is the audience?
• Where will it sell?
• What is it like and how have those books sold (she doesn't love this part)

We should know what the selling points are for our own books. "Tragically, 'this book is really great' does not work."

(Fascinating E. Law trivia: She shampoos with Alpecin Caffeine Shampoo, which apparently isn't legal in the U.S.)

Elizabeth Law defends American Idol #scbwiwwa

No, seriously. She watches and feels as though her job is represented in this show.

You see people on the show who are given good advice but still aren't able to hear it.

The question is, when to listen to advice vs. trust your instinct.

We really have to learn how to take in important feedback, even if we are old enough to know who we are.

Elizabeth has literary snob credentials but is also able to appreciate things that appeal to the raging 13-year-old hormones she still has within, even though there are improbable elements and errors (such as going to the prom in a walking cast and high-heeled shoe).

Elizabeth Law: the fun begins #scbwiwwa

Whoever assigned her to be the caboose in the faculty train was a genius. She got the first faculty laugh of the day by encouraging a personal round of applause.

Also, Joni has promised a gnome. I will be very disappointed if she doesn't make good on that.

The definition of edgy

Elizabeth Law, one of the editors coming out for our spring conference, defined "edginess" this way on Twitter:

EgmontGal: Guys, if anyone cares, characters having sex does not make a book edgy to me. Edgy is boundary pushing in literariness or plot #yalitchat

Conference faculty update

Elizabeth Law from Egmont USA is now confirmed as a member of our spring conference faculty. For a good time, follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/egmontgal

For more about the annual conference, visit our website.

Elizabeth Law on 'oozing sores'

You can't hear Egmont USA editor Elizabeth Law speak without 1) cracking up; and 2) wanting to sit by her at the dinner table. Here's a line from her interview with Shrinking Violet Promotions:

Just write your heart out. I promise you that’s what matters. I would much, much rather find a great, unusual, distinctive book by a phobic writer covered in oozing sores who lives in a closet than a decent but not amazingly original book by the world’s best promoter. I could sell the former a lot better, too.

To read the rest of the interview, in which she explains why writers should watch Project Runway and American Idol,click here.

(And be sure to read past that--to the blog post about Theodore the Tree by Nina Seven and Maribeth Stephens. They have events in Seattle planned!)